The Phantom and The Performer
by Tears and Rain
Summary: 1870 Tony is the background singer and dancer of an all male opera. Loki a deprived and masked man known as the same opera's "ghost". While Tony falls love with his childhood friend Pepper, Loki has already developed a dangerous and unnatural obsession with the talented performer.


**A/N: PLEASE READ! This is the story of The Phantom of the Opera (Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler) with the people replaced with Avengers and Thor characters. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! Even most of the dialogue is either The Phantom of the Opera or The Avengers and I do not own either of those.**

**I did not put this in the Crossover section because I don't think this counts. The characters of A and PotO don't meet.**

**Avengers fans should be able to appreciate this, whether you've seen PotO I won't be writing in present tense (only in non-flashback scenes) and my writing should flow better when I'm not so tired! :) Also, this is gonna be screwy. I'm not too sure that all-male opera houses were common in 1870. So, prepare to be mentally entering an AU world.**

**That being said, I hope you enjoy this. :)**

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It's 1919 in Paris and small children are playing on the steps of a old theater now nothing more than an auction house. A carriage stops in front of the building and an old woman wearing fine clothes and big jewelry is helped out into a wheel chair by a young nurse and a male attendant. After making her comfortable with a blanket and a footrest, they enter the auction house and join the small people there to bid, then hear the auctioneer speaking. "Sold. Your number, Sir? Thank you. Lot 663, then, ladies and gentlemen. A poster from this house's production of _Hannibal_, by Chalemeau."

"Showing here," the ringman called out and he and another man held a life-sized show poster up for all to see.

"Do I have ten francs?" The auctioneer continued, but got no response. "Five then. Five I'm bid. Six, seven. Against you, Sir, seven. Eight? Eight once. Selling twice. Sold," he tapped a gavel against his stand. "To Monsieur Lefevre. Thank you very much, Sir." The men carried the poster away and he continued. "Lot 664, a wooden pistol and three human skulls, from the 1831 production of _Robert le Diable_ by Meyerbeer. Ten francs for this..."

The lady who I mentioned in the beginning is seen by an older woman and she takes in her sight as if it's a familiar one. She feels her gaze on herself and turns her head towards her. When their eyes meet she looks shocked, and the woman offers her a small smile.

The auctioneer announces a lot 665, a paper-mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. When the woman hears this she looks to the old stage. Attached to it was the figure of a monkey in Persian robes, playing the cymbals, as the auctioneer informs them. He says that this small thing was found in the vaults of the theater and assures them that it is till in working order.

The ringman holds it out and it begins to play a sweet old tune, the monkey joining the cymbals together in time to the music.

"May I commence at fifteen francs? Fifteen, thank you." He addresses a random bidder. "Yes. Twenty from you, Madam," he notices our lady has bid. The older woman raises a hand as well. "Madam Frigga, twenty five. Thank you, Madam. Twenty five I'm bid. Do I hear thirty? Thirty!" He calls out when the old lady bids again. "And thirty five?" They looks to Madam Frigga who smiles and shakes her head in defeat. "Selling at thirty francs then. Thirty once, thirty twice." The gavel again. "Sold! To the Vicomte de Chagny. Thank you, Madam."

The lady is handed the music box and she holds it carefully in her hands, staring at the detailed art work. _A collector's piece indeed,_ hse thinks. _Every detail exactly as he said._ A single tear falls from her eye as she thinks of her and she raises a finger to touch the monkey's shoulder. _Will you still be playing when all the rest of us are dead? _She asks the doll.

"Lot 666 then," the auctioneer calls out, breaking his thoughts. "A chandelier in pieces." Every one turns to the large chandelier covered by a tarp. "Some of you may recall the strange affair of 'The Phantom of the Opera'; a mystery, never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster. Our workshops have repaired it and wired parts of it for the new electric light. Perhaps we can frighten away the ghost of so many years ago...with a little illumination. Gentlemen." The workers remove the tarp and start to pull the chandelier up to the ceiling with large and sturdy ropes.

Now imagine this, dear readers. The room that you read of now is old and covered with webs and layers of dust built up over years. Think of what it would like like if old grey is wiped away and turned to gold; if rotten wooden floors are in perfect condition and newly polished; if tattered and black seat cushions are now blood red and soft. Picture that the old auction house is now the Opera Populaire.

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**A/N: While I'm hoping to enjoy writing this, I'm not too enthusiastic about it. So if you want to read more, please leave a review, telling me so. :)**

**P.S. I mean it about that review thing.**


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